Fishing at Clear Lake, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Clear Lake belongs to Cochrane District. The surroundings are spruce and muskeg. With some 34 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 3.3 km keeps the choices simple. Hearst lies 22 km from the water. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 420 km off. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Cochrane District records list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Clear Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -19°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Clear Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A campsite lies 500 m away for anyone staying over. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Ritchie Lake at 1.7 km is the sensible second choice. For Clear Lake in particular, ask before you travel.